Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has launched a radical crackdown on food smugglers, as he seeks to end the famine that has gripped his state.
In a fiery speech, he announced a sweeping ban on the export of any food items or crops from Niger State to other parts of Nigeria.
He accused the food smugglers of starving his people and profiting from their misery.
He vowed, “We will not tolerate any truck that tries to steal our food from our villages and markets. We have declared war on the food smugglers. Anyone caught doing that will face severe consequences. We have empowered some security agencies to intercept those trucks and distribute the food to our people.”
His drastic move comes amid a nationwide food crisis, triggered by the collapse of the Naira.
The currency devaluation has caused food prices to skyrocket across the country, plunging millions into poverty and hunger.
